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Police Chief Who Led Sniper Probe Resigns

Posted on: Wednesday, 18 June 2003, 06:00 CDT

The police chief who led team investigating the Washington-area sniper shootings has resigned, a Montgomery County police spokeswoman said Wednesday.

Chief Charles Moose has resigned, said Joyce Utter, the police spokeswoman, but she had no other details. Utter referred all questions to the office of County Executive Douglas Duncan.

Moose has been at odds with county officials over his plan to write a book about the sniper investigation.

After the county ethics commission ordered Moose to drop the project, Moose challenged the decision on two fronts, appealing the decision in county circuit court and filing a federal lawsuit claiming his free speech rights were being violated.

Moose's book, "Three Weeks in October," has been posted for preorder sales on the Internet.

Duncan has supported Moose's desire to write the book and to appeal the commission's decision.

In his federal lawsuit, Moose contended any attempt to prevent him from writing the book would violate his First Amendment rights.

Despite the commission's ruling, the publisher, E.P. Dutton, began soliciting advance orders on Amazon.com. The book is scheduled to be released in October, one year after the sniper attacks.

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